In the formation of photosensitive silver halide emulsions, the physical ripening or growing step during which time the silver halide grains increase in size is considered important. During the ripening stage an adequate concentration of a silver halide solvent, for example, excess halide, generally bromide, is employed which renders the silver halide much more soluble than it is in pure water because of the formation of complex ions. This facilitates the growth of the silver halide grains. While excess bromide and ammonia are the most common ripening agents, the literature also mentions the use of water-soluble thiocyanate compounds as well as a variety of amines in place of bromide. See, for example, Photographic Emulsion Chemistry, G. F. Duffin, The Focal Press London, 1966, page 59.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,257, issued Oct. 26, 1982, is directed to a method for forming a photosensitive element comprising a plurality of single effective silver halide grains, which method comprises coalescing fine-grain silver halide in a plurality of predetermined spaced depressions. Preferably, the coalescence is effected by contacting fine-grain silver halide with a solution of a silver halide solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,874, issued Oct. 5, 1982, is directed to a method of forming a photosensitive element comprising a plurality of single effective silver halide grains, which method comprises coalescing a fine-grain emulsion in a plurality of predetermined spaced depressions by contacting said fine-grain emulsion with a solution of a silver halide solvent containing a dissolved silver salt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,526, issued Nov. 16, 1982, is directed to a method for forming a photosensitive element comprising a plurality of single effective grains in a predetermined spaced array which comprised coalescing a fine grain silver halide emulsion in a plurality of predetermined spaced depressions in a surface, wherein said coalescence is carried out by contacting said fine-grain emulsion with a silver halide solvent in the vapor phase.